MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2010 2nd Extraordinary Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Yancey, Albritton, Baria, Blount, Brown, Browning, Bryan, Burton, Butler, Butler (36th), Carmichael, Chassaniol, Clarke, Davis, Dawkins, Dearing, Dickerson, Fillingane, Flowers, Frazier, Gollott, Gordon, Harden, Hewes, Hopson, Horhn, Hudson, Hyde-Smith, Jackson (11th), Jackson (15th), Jackson (32nd), Jones, Jordan, King, Kirby, Lee (35th), Lee (47th), McDaniel, Mettetal, Michel, Moffatt, Montgomery, Nunnelee, Powell, Simmons, Stone, Tollison, Turner, Walls, Ward, Watson, Wilemon

Senate Concurrent Resolution 509

(As Adopted by Senate and House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REMEMBERING THE GALLANT SERVICE AND MOURNING THE LOSS OF UNITED STATES MARINE LANCE CORPORAL PHILIP P. CLARK, A NATIVE MISSISSIPPIAN FROM JACKSON, WHO WAS LOST IN ACTION IN AFGHANISTAN ON MAY 18, 2010, AND EXPRESSING THE SYMPATHY OF THE LEGISLATURE.

     WHEREAS, United States Marine Lance Corporal Philip P. Clark, 19, was lost in action on May 18, 2010, after being hit with shrapnel from a mine while on patrol in Marjah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan; and

     WHEREAS, Corporal Clark was born in Jackson, Mississippi, attended elementary school in Oxford, and then Jackson Preparatory School in Flowood for several years before moving to Gainesville, Florida.  Much of his family still lives in the metro area, including his mother, Rosmari Clark Kruger, of Brandon, Mississippi; and

     WHEREAS, Corporal Clark graduated from Buchholz High in Gainesville, Florida, in 2008 and joined the Marines.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp LeJeune, North Carolina.  Clark was promoted to Lance Corporal in March 2010.  He received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and NATO International Security Assistance Force Medal; and

     WHEREAS, Clark's body arrived at Dover Air Force Base, carried by a Mississippi Air National Guard plane, a unique coincidence for a longtime Mississippi boy.  The Blue Angels, the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, flew overhead when Corporal Clark's body arrived in Jacksonville in the "Missing Man Formation"; and

     WHEREAS, Clark's aunt, Andrea Lloyd, described her nephew as being at the happiest point of his life.  "He loved the Marines, and he was looking forward to the future he and his wife had together"; and

     WHEREAS, carried by a Navy/Marine Honor Guard, he returned to the family he loved and was buried with full military honors at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida; and

     WHEREAS, since operations began in the War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan, at least 73 soldiers or sailors with strong Mississippi ties have died in action; and

     WHEREAS, Philip is survived by his wife, Ashton Guenther Clark of San Antonio, Texas; his stepparents, Mike and Tammy Clark of Gainesville, Florida; three brothers, Tyler, Kyle and Ryan Nordyke of Gainesville, Florida; his mother, Rosmari Kruger of Brandon, Mississippi; grandparents, Dr. Lawrence and Teddi Clark of Gainesville, Florida, Rosanne Horn of Brandon, Mississippi, Morris Horn of Batesville, Mississippi, and Roger and Jeanelle Bass of Lake City, Florida; and

     WHEREAS, Philip Clark was a loving husband who is counted among America's heroes, committed to our nation's safety and security.  To a country, a fallen soldier means a national loss; to a community, a fallen soldier means a true hero; to a wife or parent, a fallen soldier means a husband or son who won't be coming home.  Mississippians understand the costs of conflict, because we have paid them in the past; and it is with great pride and humility that we recognize the heroic action of this great American and native Mississippian, who was the guardian of civilization as we know it today:

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby remember the gallant service and mourn the loss of United States Marine Lance Corporal Philip Paul Clark, a native Mississippian from Jackson, Mississippi, who was lost in action in Afghanistan on May 18, 2010, and extend the thoughts and prayers of the Legislature to his family in honor of their sacrifice and our sorrow on his passing.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of Corporal Clark and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.